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Figure 10.9: Pepper Creek Hike and Bike Trail
10.3.1 ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION RECOMMENDATIONS
These active transportation recommendations present proposed facilities and infrastructure that benefit access, character, quality of place, and the health and well-being of the community. The recommended improvements address the key findings of the active transportation demand analysis, level of stress analysis, and the public input gathered from stakeholder interviews and the public. These active transportation projects, many of which can and should be implemented in conjunction with proposed or programmed roadway work, provide the basis for implementing the Complete Streets concept of an All Ages and Abilities active transportation network.
Bicycle Facilities
Table 10.6 presents the bicycle facility recommendations developed from the safety, network connectivity, and bicycle level-of-stress analysis. These recommendations are conceptual in nature. Specific design elements for each facility should be developed based on appropriate corridor cross-section, functional class and engineering opportunities and constraints encountered during project development. Figure 10.9: Pepper Creek Hike and Bike Trail
Source: KPA Engineering
Project Name From Limit To Limit Work Description Length (ft.)
FM 2305 (Adams Ave)
Old Waco Rd
Hilliard Rd N. 50th
Belton Lake Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 70,000 FM 2305 North of S. Pea Ridge Road Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 21,000 FM 2305 Wendlands Farm Lake Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 25,000
SH 36 Hog Pen Creek Trail S. Kegley Rd Midway Dr Hickory Rd SH 317
I-35 Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 35,000 FM 2305 Poison Oak Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 12,000
SH 36 I-35 Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 20,000
I-35
S. 57th St. Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 10,000 Midway Dr Stratford Dr Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 7,600 S. 57th St West Avenue L Forest Trail Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 2,500 Georgetown RR Trail 1, 2, 3 Stonehaven Dr Leon River Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 26,500 S. 5th St South of W Avenue U Canyon Creek Dr Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 7,500 W. Avenue L S. 57th S. 8th St Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 13,500
Teague PL S. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr E. Marvin R Felder Dr Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 3,700
S. 2nd St South 25th St SH 53 3rd St N. 7th St Mayborn Dr
E. Avenue L E. Avenue K Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 1,100 Adams Ave West Avenue T Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 9,200 SH 290 I-35 Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 6,500 Adams Ave W. Avenue E Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 2,200 Mayborn Dr Adams Ave Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 8,000 N. 15th St N. 7th St Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 1,500 N. 15th St Industrial Boulevard Mayborn Dr Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 2,500 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr E. Nugent Ave Road 5 Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 13,000
Project Name From Limit To Limit Work Description Length (ft.)
Martin Luther King Jr. Dr S. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr S. 24th St Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 3,500
East Avenue H
Lake Terrace Trail 31st St Prairie View Rd Canyon Creek Dr Tarver Dr Hogan Rd Poison Oak Rd Pepper Creek Trail Ext Bird Creek Interceptor Trail Stratford Dr Waterbury Dr Winchester Dr S. 31st St Waters Dairy Rd Cottonwood Ln Oakview Dr Azalea Dr N. 23rd St W. Houston Ave W. Downs Ave N. 1st St S. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr Dodgen Loop Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 12,000
Prairie View Rd Connecticut Ave Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 6,000 W. Houston Ave Georgetown Trail Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 40,000
Starlight Dr Hilliard Rd Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 15,000
S. 31st St Old 95 Rd Bicycle Facility, Striping, and/or Signage 12,900
Old Waco Rd SH 317 Bicycle Striping and/or Signage 10,000
Old Waco Rd SH 317 Bicycle Striping and/or Signage Old Waco Rd SH 317 Bicycle Striping and/or Signage FM 2305 S. Kegley Rd Bicycle Striping and/or Signage 10,000 11,000 5,500
Midway Dr Shallow Ford Rd Bicycle Striping and/or Signage 5,000
Hickory Rd Waterbury Dr Bicycle Striping and/or Signage
Stratford Dr Winchester Dr Bicycle Striping and/or Signage Waterbury Dr S. 31st St Bicycle Striping and/or Signage Winchester Dr Waters Dairy Rd Bicycle Striping and/or Signage
S. 31st St S. 5th S. Bicycle Striping and/or Signage
Oakdale Ln Oakview Dr Bicycle Striping and/or Signage Cottonwood Ln Azalea Dr Bicycle Striping and/or Signage
Oakview Dr East of Lowes Dr Bicycle Striping and/or Signage
Adams Ave W. Houston Ave Bicycle Striping and/or Signage
N. 23rd St N. 31st Bicycle Striping and/or Signage
N. 15th St
N. 1st St Bicycle Striping and/or Signage W. Downs Ave E. Downs Ave Bicycle Striping and/or Signage 3,000 1,100 1,700 900 5,500 1,800 1,000 8,000 900 500 780 50
Project Name From Limit To Limit Work Description
W. Barton Ave
N. 1st St Mid-block N. 1st and N. Main St Bicycle Striping and/or Signage Mid-block N. 1st and N. Main St W. Barton Ave W. Calhoun Ave Bicycle Striping and/or Signage
W. Calhoun Ave Mid-block N. 1st and N. Main St N. 1st St Bicycle Striping and/or Signage
N. 1st St E. Nugent Ave
S. 24th St
S. 30th St Avenue N S. 34th St Avenue Z S. 55th Skyline Dr/Everton Dr East Loop North Loop Inner Loop Utility Dr Emergency Dr S. 1st St
W. Avenue F
S. 1st St W. Calhoun Ave W. Upshaw Ave Bicycle Striping and/or Signage
N. 15th St N. 8th St Bicycle Striping and/or Signage SH 53 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr Bicycle Striping and/or Signage
E. H Avenue Avenue N Bicycle Striping and/or Signage
S. 30th St
E. H Avenue S. 24th St Bicycle Striping and/or Signage SH 53 Bicycle Striping and/or Signage
57th St S. 55th St Bicycle Striping and/or Signage
W. Avenue Z Skyline Dr Bicycle Striping and/or Signage S. 55th St S. 31st St Bicycle Striping and/or Signage Scott and White Blvd North Loop Bicycle Striping and/or Signage East Loop Inner Loop Bicycle Striping and/or Signage North Loop Utility Dr Bicycle Striping and/or Signage Inner Loop Emergency Dr Bicycle Striping and/or Signage Utility Dr SH 190 S. 31st St Bicycle Striping and/or Signage Fryers Creek Bicycle Striping and/or Signage S. 25th S. Martin Luther King Jr Dr Bicycle Striping and/or Signage
W. Avenue D W. Avenue V Bicycle Striping and/or Signage
Length (ft.)
200
500
200
10,000 1,500
11,000
3,000 900 3,400 150 120 2,100 350 100 250 100 600 5,000
2,000
9,300
Safe Routes to Schools
A key element of the Active Transportation Plan is support for and integration with the Safe Routes to Schools initiative. Recommendations in this category were developed based on the findings of the safety analysis and the sidewalk density and connectivity analysis conducted during development of the Active Transportation Plan. Table 10.7 presents the proposed sidewalk projects to support the Safe Routes to Schools initiative.
TABLE 10.7: PROPOSED SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL SIDEWALK PROJECTS
Project Name Work Description Density
Cater Elementary School New Sidewalk Construction 0.00
Charter Oak Elementary New Sidewalk Construction 0.11 Bonham Middle School New Sidewalk Construction 0.21 North Belton Middle School New Sidewalk Construction 0.24 Lamar Middle School New Sidewalk Construction 0.24 Tarver Elementary School New Sidewalk Construction 0.27 Raye Allen Elementary New Sidewalk Construction 0.28 Jefferson Elementary New Sidewalk Construction 0.30 Hector P Garcia Elementary New Sidewalk Construction 0.40 Pirtle Elementary School New Sidewalk Construction 0.40
Key Sidewalk and Trail Gaps
The key sidewalk and trail gap project recommendations presented in Table 10.8 were developed based on the findings of the CSA and the outcomes of the gap assessment performed during the scenario analysis. The proposed key sidewalk and trail projects are designed to address gaps in the overall network and to support continuity and safer transitions between the Parks and Trails Master Plan facilities and the active transportation facilities of the primary transportation system network.
Project Name Work Description Density
Lake Belton High School New Sidewalk Construction 0.49
High Point Elementary New Sidewalk Construction 0.58 Edwards Academy Temple High School New Sidewalk Construction 0.63 Scott Elementary School New Sidewalk Construction 0.68
Lakewood Ranch Elementary New Sidewalk Construction 0.83
Travis Middle School New Sidewalk Construction 0.86
Meredith-Dunbar Elementary New Sidewalk Construction 1.00 Lake Belton Middle School New Sidewalk Construction 1.04 Kennedy-Powell Elementary School New Sidewalk Construction 1.12
Project Name
S 24th St
S MLK Jr Dr / N. 8th Street
W Avenue F
S 25th St
W Avenue E Stratford Dr
S 5th St
W Adams Ave
W Adams Ave
E. Avenue H
Trail crossing across 1st Street at Temple College
Friar’s Creek Trail crossing across Canyon Creek Dr
Hickory Rd and Midway Dr
From Limit To Limit Work Description
Adams Ave/53
E Avenue N / MLK Railroad overpass to MLK/North 8th St. E Avenue E King Circle or Trail Crossing Upgraded sidewalk / Install new side path.
S MLK Jr Dr S 25th St Upgraded sidewalk / Install new side path.
W H Ave W Avenue E Install new / rehabilitate existing sidewalk. Include pedestrian amenities at RR crossing.
S 25th St Hickory Rd
Friars Creek Trail S 31 St
Tie into trail or side path on S 31 St. Waterford Park Sidewalk installation. Temple College Pedestrian and bicycle bridge over LP 363/US 190.
Hillard Rd
Morgan’s Point Rd
MLK N Kegley Rd
317
Safety Improvements to upgrade from sidewalk to trail - with signage and crossings. Safety Improvements to upgrade from sidewalk to trail - with signage and crossings. Henderson Rd Expand southwest and add bike lanes at the overpass to HB trail. Signalized, but could benefit from high visibility features, traffic calming or other safety improvements. Marked, but could benefit from high visibility features. Signalized, but could benefit from high visibility features.
10.3.2 ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION POLICY AND PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS
Critical Site Connectivity Gaps
There is often a gap in site connectivity between the on-site roadway network and the planned sidewalk or trail network during the transitioning from City infrastructure to on-site infrastructure at key employment centers and community facilities like the VA, Temple College and Baylor Scott and White Medical Center. The primary bicycle and pedestrian facilities stop at the edge of the site, making the last hundred-foot connection to the 'front door' less comfortable for access. These final transition facilities are often private roadways. Nonetheless, multimodal connections are critical for successful connectivity. Coordination and collaboration between the City and these stakeholders will be necessary to reach the MMP active transportation goals.
Downtown Multimodal Circulation
To aid implementation of the All Ages and Abilities network, the MMP recommends that the City conduct a traffic operations analysis of the W. Central and W. Adams one-way pair in downtown to determine if it is feasible, from a traffic operations standpoint, to restore the two-way traffic patterns on these roadways. During the scenario analysis of roadway system deficiencies, the simulation of a return to two-way traffic on these streets, revealed that the change produced only a minimal improvement in traffic. The finding that a return to two-way operations does not significantly hamper traffic, leaves open the option to make the change for other purposes. Those purposes include facilitating the implementation of the All Ages and Abilities network, enhancing the walkability and quality of place in downtown temple, and, in addition, providing some traffic calming benefits. A more detailed study of traffic operations is needed to confirm the conceptual findings of the MMP scenario analysis.
Continuity between Park Trails and Planned On-Road Network
The planned trails and on-street bicycle facility connections do an excellent job of connecting a network of logical connections turning a set of park trails into part of the active transportation network (where it is feasible). Because these are planning level connections, there are yet to be precise plans for location and intersection crossings. The gaps listed above in Table 10.8 are either areas where existing trail crossings could use further engineering and safety analysis, or future crossings should be considered carefully for optimal location and design that balances safety with usability.
Signage and Wayfinding
While not a physical gap, providing information is also important to avoid a knowledge gap of the network and how travelers can connect to their destination. To achieve seamless integration, it is important that Temple coordinate between the Transportation department and Parks and Recreation to create a signage and wayfinding system to clearly sign, mark and map the linkages between these two components of the active transportation system.
10.3.3 TRANSIT ACTION PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS
The MMP Transit Vision Plan (Chapter 8) outlined a conceptual version of what an expanded and enhanced transit system might look like using a combination of traditional and innovative advanced practice approaches to improved service delivery. The MMP recommendation focuses on the most important near-term aspect of the transit vision, which is an active strategic planning initiative to understand the benefits and costs of the various alternatives, and to develop and refine an operational delivery and system governance structure that meet the City’s service delivery goals and budget tolerances. Table 10.9 summarizes the strategic planning components of the transit action plan from Chapter 8.
Project Name Work Description
Evaluation of the benefits and costs of the longterm service models presented in Chapter 8 Transit Vision Plan.
Transition to new or revised operational model. Undertake a benefit cost analysis (BCA) of the alternative service models presented in this MMP plus additional service elements that may be feasible with participation of private sector partners, such as subscription service. If the tradeoffs of costs versus benefits are positive, select a preferred operational model for provision of service within Temple, and work with HCTD to determine how that local operational model fits within the overall regional transit governance structure.
The MMP recommended roadway cross-sections and design elements are presented at a conceptual level to provide guidance on achieving a Complete-Streets based mobility network. To see these design standards implemented during project engineering and construction, the City must adjust its engineering design manuals and codes. The City plans to undertake a major update to its Uniform Development Code during late 2022 or early 2023. The MMP recommendation is that the City, during this process, revise the UDC street design standards and subdivision regulations to incorporate the MMP cross-section and design elements described in this plan.
10.5 TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT
The City is interested in promoting the use of Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategies and programs as part of an overall program of mobility and traveler safety. Although the City does not have any current TDM programs or policies adopted, there are local and regional tools in place that promote these efforts. Through an evaluation of these existing efforts and a comprehensive review of the other recommendations brought forward as part of the MMP, the following TDM recommendations were developed. The following three-step process guided the evaluation effort:
1. Gauge the level of support for TDM measures and develop a prioritized list of measures to consider. 2.Assess the potential trip-reduction benefits of the highestpriority measures. 3.Formulate a process for developing a TDM program over time.
Recent changes in the number of people working at home as well as the availability of ride-hailing services can impact how receptive workers and employers are to TDM programs. Local municipalities and transit authorities can contract with private ridesharing and carpooling companies to provide rides in particular service areas or to target segments of the population needing additional ride assistance. This method can be more efficient and affordable than providing a fixed route or ondemand service. KTMPO’s Congestion Management Process1 also identifies a set of “Non-Infrastructure Improvements” that can be part of a toolbox for management of congestion as indicated below:
• Initiating and Managing a Rideshare Program - Ridesharing programs, which match employees that live near one another to facilitate carpooling, can result in fewer cars on
1 KTMPO, Congestion Management Process I 2016 Update, Pages 4-5 to 4-7.
roads and less congestion, while also encouraging travelers to utilize an alternative mode of transportation. • Flexible Work Hours - Flexible work hours relieve stress on the transportation network during peak travel times by allowing people to commute to and from work at off‐peak travel times. • Telecommuting - Telecommuting allows for people to work from home and reduces the number of trips between work and home during peak travel times. • Satellite Offices - Satellite offices can disperse jobs throughout a larger area, rather than in one office. This prevents concentrated congestion in one area. • Land Use Management - Controlling and regulating land uses can help control which types and how many trips are being made in specific areas. Managing growth and development can directly impact the transportation system as well as influence how commuters select their travel mode.
Implementing land uses that contain a mix of residential, retail, and employment can improve the feasibility of conducting trips by walking or biking, therefore reducing automobile demand on congested corridors. • Commuter Choice Tax Benefits - Employers can provide incentives and discounted transit passes to encourage transit use in exchange for tax benefits. • HOV Toll Savings - Preferential pricing for multi‐occupant vehicles on toll roads incentivizes ridesharing, which can again reduce the number of cars on the road at a particular time. • Parking Management - Preferential parking for vehicles that carry more than a single occupant can encourage ridesharing. • Driver Education - Driver education programs can inform drivers about choices that are available to avoid and reduce congestion.
The City of Temple has the option to use any of the aforementioned non-infrastructure improvements laid out in the KTMPO CMP as well as partner with the KTMPO and other KTMPO partner agencies in a united campaign to encourage Transportation Demand Management including: Flexible Work Hours, Compressed Work Weeks, and Telecommuting. The campaign could start with the development of promotional material for TDM that identifies potential strategies and their potential benefits. It could also include development of a TDM Toolbox that includes more information about each potential strategy and case studies as examples. In addition to the MPO the cities and the county, partners in the programs could include the chambers of commerce and possibly Transportation Management Associations (groups of employers).
10.6 EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
Rapid development of a broad range of technologies in vehicle guidance, monitoring systems, automated data collection systems, artificial intelligence, traffic management software,
TABLE 10.10: BEST PRACTICES TOOLS BY CATEGORY FOR EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, MOBILITY SOLUTIONS, AND DATA MANAGEMENT
Category Tool
Coordinated Traffic Management and Adaptive Signal Control
Vehicle Technologies
Mobility Innovations
Advanced Data Collection and Data Management Methods Demand-Responsive Signal System Adaptive Signal Timing Signal Infrastructure-to-Vehicle Communications Roadway Design, Infrastructure, and Maintenance to Support Safe Automated and Autonomous Vehicle Operations Autonomous Shuttles Ridesharing and Carpooling Shared Micromobility Curbside Management and ADA Accessibility Use of “Big Data” Real-time Traffic Data Capture by Signal System Equipment Advanced Video-based Data Collection Automated Traffic Signal Performance Monitoring (ATSPM) Asset Management and ITS Performance Monitoring Systems Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Drones) for Data Collection
communication systems, micro mobility services (car, bike or scooter sharing programs) and data management tools is creating new and exciting opportunities for how transportation services are supplied and managed. By examining the emerging technologies and advanced data collection and management methods that are on the horizon, the city can make decisions now that can help maximize the value of these technologies as they become available. The MMP recommendations on emerging technology are designed to support Temple’s Comprehensive Plan stated principles, which include evaluating opportunities to invest in TDM and smart city technologies to improve transportation efficiency, and to actively monitor predicted changes to the transportation system stemming from emerging technology such as deployment of prototype autonomous vehicles.
10.6.1 TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE
Innovative technologies emerge quickly and can have a major impact of the transportation network. Although the City can’t plan specifically for new technologies that have yet to be developed or infiltrate the network, they can plan for the space they will potentially inhabit. Table 10.10 on the previous page presents a list of emerging technologies, mobility solutions and advanced data management methods that the City should monitor and consider for future application. Manufacturers and vendors are already deploying new and emerging technologies such as prototype autonomous interconnected vehicles in pilot programs across the US. These technologies require advanced digital communications infrastructure to support operations and management. Cities are beginning to find themselves in a debate with vendors, who stand to make billions of dollars from deployment of these technologies, over who pays for and maintains the required digital and communications infrastructure. The simple act of allowing vendors to attach transponders, routers, or other technology to City infrastructure such as lampposts or traffic signals can have fiscal impacts on the City if control and financial responsibility for maintenance or replacement are not clearly worked out in the contractual relationship. The MMP recommends that the City review and revise its policies regarding shared infrastructure to consider the expanding pool of utility types and entities. The recommended design cross-sections allotted private infrastructure to separate easements requiring additional ROW. As technologies advance, an increasing number of private sector entities will require use of this valuable space. The MMP recommends consideration of public utility easements (PUE) along major facilities (such as arterials) when constructing facilities in new or lightly developed areas where future roadway expansion is likely and private infrastructure deployment for expected growth is not already established. Although the City would pay for this additional ROW at project implementation, there are several benefits to this approach. One benefit is not having to purchase additional ROW containing developed private utilities, as well as ROW to relocate those utilities during roadway expansion. A second benefit, is that the space can become a valuable resource, needed by companies to deploy their emerging technologies.
Visual Interpretation Improvements
While there may be uncertainty around the exact technologies and timing of when new transportation technologies will emerge on area roadways, there are ways to prepare that also have immediate benefits to community safety. Most autonomous vehicle technologies use sensors and cameras to interpret the roadway, its boundaries and characteristics like speed and hierarchy within the transportation network. This information is primarily communicated through signage and pavement markings. The City can adopt standards and maintenance practices today that improve the legibility of these markings for roadway users today and for the AV technologies of the future. Identified strategies include pavement-marking standardization updates, improving signage standards, and reflectivity and legibility improvements.
Curbside Management
With the introduction of micromobility along with private ride sharing services, suddenly the curbside has become a critically important interface for arrivals, departures, and parking of many different modes all while maintaining ADA accessibility. With this potentially conflict riddled space, careful planning and delineation can go a long way. Many cities are moving towards keeping this space as flexible as possible, changing rules and uses over the course of a day and the week. This is possible through new technology and digital signage.
Data Assets and Resource
New technologies bring new resources and assets to consider, discuss, and manage. One of these assets is a wealth of new data about the community and area travel patterns. The City must examine the challenges of identifying and documenting the rights and responsibilities of all parties. Responsible control and management of this data results in more complex relationships with technology vendors and a duty to the public for responsible stewardship of data by the City and by the vendor to protect personal information. The City has the potential to utilize this data to make a big difference in managing infrastructure, modeling travel patterns, and understanding the movement of people within the City in a way that has never been done before. The MMP recommends that the City follow national best practice standards for managing and negotiating this rich resource. The MMP recommends that the City dedicate budget for internal or consultative services for making sense of the City’s data in a way that can drive policy, contract terms, program, and project decisions. This resource can help to translate data into helpful datasets of roadway usage or conditions for planning and maintenance purposes.
10.6.2 TECHNOLOGY AND REGIONAL PLANNING PARTNERS
In the area of emerging technologies, the MMP recommends that the City continue its strong working relationship with regional partners such as KTMPO and TxDOT, as many of the new mobility and intelligent transportation strategies may require regional implementation. Consideration of Emerging Technologies and TSMO by KTMPO was evident in their Congestion Management Process (CMP) that states: Technological efficiency improvement strategies utilize modern technology and computing capabilities to improve efficiency and operations in the existing transportation system. These strategies typically involve using sensors to collect and process data about traffic conditions. Information about traffic conditions can be directly presented to commuters in the form of electronic signage so that they can make travel decisions based on current conditions. The information can also be used to manipulate traffic operations based on current demands. Technological efficiency improvement strategies can effectively increase a transportation system’s capacity without requiring costly and time‐consuming construction. TxDOT also has a TSMO program that supports regional pilot studies across the state. Working with TxDOT and KTMPO, there may be opportunities to request, or to join, regional studies that look at advanced practice intelligent transportation and transportation management solutions to City operational or safety issues.
10.7 FREIGHT TRANSPORTATION RECOMMENDATIONS
The intersection and roadway improvements recommended in the MMP have benefit for freight transportation. Specific freight recommendations fall into two categories. Truck routing and safety.
Downtown Truck Routing
On the truck routing front, the CSA and feedback from stakeholders indicated that truck routing in the downtown area may not be optimal. The MMP recommends that the City undertake a truck routing study of the downtown with the goal of reducing unnecessary through trips and improving freight circulation patterns. The process of establishing a truck route is as follows:
1. City conducts study to identify recommended route(s). 2.City submits proposal for the truck route to TxDOT district. 3.District reviews proposal and forwards it to TxDOT Traffic
Division (TRF) for review and comment. 4.TRF reviews and comments on the proposal from an engineering standpoint (obtaining FHWA approval if necessary) and notifies the district. 5.District notifies city of comments. 6.City passes ordinance establishing the truck route. 7.Appropriate signs are installed to accommodate the truck route. 8.District provides TRF with map clearly defining the truck route.
Truck Safety Parking
Federal regulations on hours of service (HOS) for commercial truck drivers (49 C.F.R. §395), often referred to as the “11-14-10 rule”, require that drivers can drive no more than 11 hours in a single day (with up to 3 additional hours of non-driving on-duty time) after which a period of 10 hours of rest is then required before going back on-duty to operate their vehicle again. Complying with these regulations can require that the driver find a legal parking spot to obtain the required rest during long haul trips. Finding legal parking is often difficult, as there is often both a shortage of legal parking spots available as well as a lack of a system that indicates the location of available legal parking spots on a real time basis. A lack of rest areas for truck drivers can also lead to tired drivers staying on the road longer or parking in unsafe locations (e.g., shoulders or exit ramps) that are not designed to handle heavy cargo traffic. Review of area planning studies and feedback from stakeholders indicates that Temple is not immune to this national challenge. Truck parking on shoulders or ramps and in other areas not designated for truck parking is common and presents a safety risk for both the truck drivers and other motorists. The MMP recommends that the City work with its regional planning partners KTMPO and TxDOT to begin to address this issue. In 2021 KTMPO conducted a Regional Freight Transportation and Parking Study, a process in which the city was a stakeholder. This study is available for viewing on the KTMPO website, and references the problems, and possible impacts, as stated above, as well as provides some alternative parking solutions. In its Statewide Freight Mobility Plan, TxDOT has a strategic goal of deploying a Safety Roadside Rest Areas (SRRA) throughout the state and is currently doing pilot projects in selected areas. Temple, with its strategic location on the I-35 corridor could be a likely candidate for such a pilot project. TxDOT is also working with private businesses and the vendors of navigation apps to help improve the information technology resources for real time identification of available truck safety parking spots. Temple should work with KTMPO and the TxDOT district to monitor this program and keep local businesses that provide parking to take steps to get their real time parking availability information out to drivers in need of a safety parking space.
10.8 SAFETY
10.8.1 SAFETY PROGRAM AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
As Temple and the surrounding area continue to grow, balancing the enhancement of safety and efficiently maintaining mobility will become more complex. With growth comes higher traffic
